How many Kyusu do you own? And bonus question, how many do you use? So, 2 answers are permitted.

Nathaniel87 wrote:So you haven't had any trouble ordering from Japan? The shipping itself isn't any slower...still comes on the second day or third day, but from purchase to shipment takes 10-12 days at Ippodo because they told me they are required to apply for some certification before they send out the order.

You haven't had this sort of trouble yet?

No, I haven't had this problem at all. I've ordered from Japan at least three or four times since the radiation scare started, two of them I ordered a little over a week ago, and all the orders were shipped out the same day.

I got this teapot about 1 month and 1/2 ago, and finally took some pictures in action.

The tea in it is from Yamashita's gyokuro sampler.... "Yashiki no Cha", supposedly the highest tea Maiko Tea offers. Unfortunately, I wasn't that impressed. It was delicious, to be sure, but there were two others I enjoyed far more - "Takumi" (processed very similar to this "Yashiki", just slightly lower in grade, and "Nomigoro" basically the same as "Takumi" but just the kuradashi version of it, aged 4-5 years).

Anyway, on to the teapot - it is a kyusu/houhin hybrid. You can use the handle, or, you can grip it on the sides of the large rim (which have small indentations for one's fingers). I always use the handle, but that's just me.Also, it is a left-handed kyusu, which was a very fun find for me, being a southpaw.

So basically the filter meets the wall of the pot all the way round. But at the top the holes go to half holes and these directly contact the pot wall so that the last drops can get out.

Its what Tachi Masaki does on his filters.

Hope that explains it...here the pic below

CIMG7939.JPG (168.49 KiB) Viewed 521 times

I've been watching this pot for a long time too. Seems I grabbed the last one. Toru still has the 380ml as well. For the price its an incredible pot....actually for any price its an incredible pot. I love it!

Keep making more and more sencha just because I want to use the pot LOL.

Here's a video explaining how much I've been drinking, with me being played by dumbledore and my wife being played by harry potter

Ah, very well explained and illustrated. Thanks. My first tokoname had a ball filter that was a disaster for fuka ... but I still used it a bajillion times before its ... passing. But fuka ... forget about it ...

It is good to know there are ball filters and then ... there are good ball filters, especially since this ballfilterphobia has kept me from buying some great kyusu from Yoshiki and a bunch of other big names.

Chip wrote:Ah, very well explained and illustrated. Thanks. My first tokoname had a ball filter that was a disaster for fuka ... but I still used it a bajillion times before its ... passing. But fuka ... forget about it ...

It is good to know there are ball filters and then ... there are good ball filters, especially since this ballfilterphobia has kept me from buying some great kyusu from Yoshiki and a bunch of other big names.

Yeah I've had some bad ball filters as well, but now I know what to look for (as fine as possible with an angled ball like this one). This one for me handles Fuka basically as good as a sesame filter....just a little longer to get final drips out.

I am about to purchase another pot but I've learnt my lesson about posting on here before buying, so will keep it under my hat until I've bought, paid and received it.

I've let my teaware obsession get out of hand after not buying any for 6 months. But it seems getting heavily in to Sencha has allowed it to run rampant again with new Japanese wares. Just one last pot please! *Twitches*

Something dangerously additive about having teaware in transit...to your house. I may cure it by packaging up some of my current stuff and sending it on a round the world tour only to finally come home

... oh, come on, once in transit, it is yours. But yeah, it is dangerous and not too smart sometimes to post something you are considering ... especially when inventory is limited to one piece.

I recently went on a little procurement journey myself and definitely kept it a secret from TCers. It seems that the ebay market for certain items spikes after the holidays anyway. I will be posting a topic on this type of item as soon as I take some photos.

Chip wrote:... oh, come on, once in transit, it is yours. But yeah, it is dangerous and not too smart sometimes to post something you are considering ... especially when inventory is limited to one piece.

I recently went on a little procurement journey myself and definitely kept it a secret from TCers. It seems that the ebay market for certain items spikes after the holidays anyway. I will be posting a topic on this type of item as soon as I take some photos.

Yeah once in transit its fine....I just meant for posting my own pics of it.... although I did LOL about how paranoid it sounds the other way.

Seriously though. If you are looking at something and it is a somewhat limited type offering, the last thing I want to do is broadcast it on TC before you seal the deal ... other wise you might just as well tell the entire www to take a look at it ... and get it while they can.

There is no honor in the anonymity of the nets ... so it is disclose at your own risk.

Chip wrote:Seriously though. If you are looking at something and it is a somewhat limited type offering, the last thing I want to do is broadcast it on TC before you seal the deal ... other wise you might just as well tell the entire www to take a look at it ... and get it while they can.

There is no honor in the anonymity of the nets ... so it is disclose at your own risk.

Yeah I've had a direct experience with this on here. It was only a Gaiwan and I don't blame the person it was totally my fault....won't be doing it again though.

Anyway just confirming the payment then may post a sneaky pic.....vendor is A.N. as usual. You know artisticnippon Toru always impresses me. Customer service just can't get better then what that guy does. <3